Ayres Sequeira
Come May, life in the villages of Goa becomes hectic and interesting. It is a season to enjoy and celebrate: Festam, Ladainhas, social celebrations be they weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and parties; elders are busy running high and low, sometimes complaining or stretching out to reach at every function. Near and dear ones come home for holidays, schools being closed, to connect to their roots. It is also a season of local fruits to be savoured be they mangoes or jackfruits. In fact, the little ones are so much of a joy and thrill in our homes, they become unique smelling the aroma of the mangoes or jackfruits.
Men keep hunting around for the local brew: Urrak or Feni. The local taverns become the hub of activities be it for a gossip, meeting someone after a long time or for the latest unusual incident to be made known to everyone.
If he’s a “Zanvoy”, a recently married son-in-law then he becomes the cynosure of all eyes that he be impressed that the in-laws are a well to do family. Yes, truly, being Goan, normally a Khursachi Ladainh is arranged in thanksgiving with the Mistir (choir master) giving the lead.
These and many more social activities depicting the uniqueness of Goan village life keep the Goans busy all through the summer season preserving Goan traditions and culture, hospitality which attracts outsiders to our land to experience our love and affection.
But alas! With these PDAs and ODPs looming large over our heads, it is feared our villages will soon degenerate and the Goan village life will only be a memory, henceforth, nay the distant sound of ‘tambde Rosa tuje polle’ (chubby are your cheeks, oh dear) when an elder returns home being high on Urrak or Feni will never be heard again.
Presumably, the next generation will never see a Goan village and a life so unique in many ways that Goans are jovial, sussegad and large hearted.
